Foxhound

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Need to Know

  • Dogs suitable for experienced owners
  • Extra training required
  • Generally healthy breed
  • Enjoys vigorous walks
  • Some drool
  • Requires grooming once a week
  • Chatty and vocal dog
  • Barks and alerts to visitors/anything unusual
  • Generally friendly with other dogs
  • May need additional training to live with other pets
  • Great family dog
  • Needs a large yard, although best suited to rural areas
  • Cannot be left alone
Close up of a Foxhound dog breed panting in a park

Personality

Like an eager intern, the Foxhound does best when it has a job to do, especially one that involves endurance and speed, such as chasing or running. They are social, friendly, and generally happy dogs, except when they don’t have enough hard work. When their bodies and minds are exercised properly, they are content to be indoor family dogs. 

The Foxhound was originally bred to hunt foxes. They have been associated with America since the Revolutionary War.

An ideal place for a Foxhound is one with lots of land that’s fenced in, or an owner who is game to take copious walks throughout the day. They don’t love to be left alone and are prone to destruction if they’re not mentally or physically stimulated, so someone who is home most of the day is ideal.

Bred to chase and hunt down scents, even indoor Foxhounds will need plenty of time to exhaust themselves. They do well with mental agility, too, such as puzzles and training.

Because of their stubbornness when tracking down scents, they can get caught up in the moment easily. It’s best to keep them in fenced areas or walk them on leashes so they don’t wander off.

What they require in exercise needs, they make up for in grooming. A Foxhound’s short, smooth, and dense coat is weatherproof and requires a good brush once a week or so to keep it shiny and healthy. If a Foxhound has been out and about chasing down scents, it’s a good idea to check them over for injuries such as scratches, cuts, and thorns to prevent infection.

The Foxhound’s nose knows all— it’s their driving force, sometimes to their detriment. That means finding work for the dog to do, no matter the weather, and being more engaging or interesting than the world around them. If exercised and trained properly, they are easygoing, amiable family members who get along well with children.

Foxhounds make human friends easily and adapt well to family life. However, they can be a bit clumsy in small spaces. Families with older children or no children will do best, as they can’t be knocked over as easily by a loveable, doe-eyed Foxhound. They do their absolute best when paired with other Foxhounds.

The cost of a Foxhound from a breeder is significantly more than the cost of adopting one from a local shelter or rescue. The adoption fee usually covers additional items such as spaying or neutering, vaccines, and microchipping.

puppies and kittens

Learn more about feeding and caring for your Foxhound on Purina.

Did you know?

  • Foxhound studs are referred to as “stallions.” This is unusual in the dog world but is related to their close link with horse breeding.
  • Foxhounds briefly came to public attention with the 1981 Disney film The Fox and the Hound.